Karl Foitek: The successful immigrant
AFTERNOON The racing driver Karl Foitek, who was successful until the 1970s, died on New Year's Day in his 88th year. Gregor Foitek, a son of the native Austrian, made it to Formula 1 more than 25 years ago. As a 20-year-old Austrian, Karl Foitek traveled to Switzerland in December 1951. At Emil Frey's Jaguar dealership in Zurich [...]
As a 20-year-old Austrian, Karl Foitek traveled to Switzerland in December 1951. He found a job as a car mechanic at Emil Frey's Jaguar dealership in Zurich. Through looking after customer vehicles, Foitek soon discovered his penchant for car racing.
A fast driver mechanic
As a mechanic, Karl Foitek understood how to get more power out of every vehicle and optimize the chassis. He made use of this as a racing driver from 1956, and later as a tuner, team boss (Squadra Foitek) and finally as a successful garage owner.
While competitors treated the immigrant with suspicion in the early days, Karl Foitek gained increasing respect after obtaining Swiss citizenship due to his sporting and professional successes. He never completely lost his Austrian accent.
Four times Swiss champion in three categories
In addition to numerous successes throughout Europe and even overseas, the fast private driver conquered quite a few day victories in Switzerland. Karl Foitek was Swiss automobile champion four times.
In 1959 he won the first SM title in the Gran Tourismo category on an Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint Veloce, and in 1961 the first in the racing car category on a Lotus 20 Formula Junior, which he successfully defended in 1962 with a newer Lotus 22. In 1963, he dominated the sports car category with a Lotus 23.
On many other cars such as Lotus Elan Racing, Porsche 910 with Repco F1 engine, Alfa Romeo GTA, Lola T210, etc. Foitek went on to win further daily and category titles. In 1970 he missed the fifth SM title on Lola only because Peter Sauber, who was equal in points, had the better strike results in the sports cars with his own construction.
Last full racing season 1971
Karl Foitek's last stage victories came in 1971, after which he appeared only occasionally as a racing driver until the 1980s - most recently in a Ferrari 308. Instead, he supported his son Gregor, who made it into Formula 1 as the Swiss Formula 3 racing car champion in 1986. His best result was seventh place at the 1990 Monaco GP.
Gregor had inherited his father's talent, but not his enthusiasm for racing, which he gave up in 1992 after a brief interlude in IndyCars. Since then, Gregor has been making himself useful in the family garage business that his father expanded after he gave up racing.
Today, the core business is the trade in Ferrari and Maserati sports cars. Karl Foitek's sons Reto, Gregor and Frank Foitek have been running Foitek Automobile AG in Altendorf SZ for many years.
Her father and company founder Karl Foitek succumbed to cancer on January 1, 2019. AutoSprintCH extends its sincere condolences to them and all their relatives.
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